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Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Gingerbread Truffles (Cake Balls)

You've probably figured out by now that The Sweets Life never goes more than a few days without posting sweets of some sort. On the other hand, I try to balance the sugar-laden posts with healthier recipes too. That's most representative of the way we eat: balanced. In December, however, all bets are off. Our schedule is out of control this month. Work Christmas parties, Friend Christmas parties, Church Christmas parties...we have something almost every night! As a result, we're not only consuming more sweets than normal, I'm also making more than normal. So don't be surprised to find an unusual amount of cookies, cakes, and treats on the blog this month. Heathy eaters, stick around, I promise we'll eventually return to a better balance. In the meantime, live it up, enjoy the season, and come to The Sweets Life to find some killer desserts to share this Christmas!

Next up: gingerbread truffles, more commonly known as cake balls. I've seen every variation under the sun of these ever-popular cake balls, but gingerbread was my first attempt at them. While they take several steps, you can easily be working on other stuff between the steps. Even better, these can be made way ahead of time and frozen before serving. Just remove from the freezer when you're ready to serve! I brought these to a family Christmas party and they were the first cookie to disappear. These look adorable on a cookie tray and their sturdiness makes them ideal for mailing!

Directions:
1. To prepare gingerbread, beat butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add egg and molasses, mixing until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
2. Stir dry mixture into wet mixture, mixing until combined. Pour in boiling water and mix.
3. Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes, until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Set cake aside and allow to cool completely.
4. When cake is cooled, crumble into a large bowl. Using a mixer, blend in cream cheese until the two are fully combined.
5. Using your hands, shape crumb mixture into walnut-sized balls. Place balls on wax-paper lined baking sheets. Repeat with remaining crumb mixture. Place the baking sheets in the freezer for one hour, or until balls are firm.
6. Place almond bark in a large microwaveable bowl. Melt in one minute increments, stirring after each minute, until smooth.
7. Dip balls one at a time into the almond bark. Place on baking sheets lined with wax-paper and sprinkle with Christmas sprinkles. Allow to harden before serving.